It's interesting to think how this record would have ended up sounding like had it been recorded after the Dimebag Darrel tragedy last year: given that the first Crowbar record to see the light of day in three years already finds Kirk Windstein in a less than salacious mood, one could only imagine what depths of despair the passing away of his friend would have driven him to musically. As it is, _Lifeblood for the Downtrodden_ is about as raw and honest as Crowbar have ever been. This is not merely misery mongering for the sake of wallowing in self-pity though. Rather, in songs like "Moon" and "Fall Back to Zero" lies the sound of masculine pride fighting desperately against unseen forces, expressed in music that can at times almost be oppressively heavy. Yet, as emotionally draining and intense an experience a sitting of _Lifesblood for the Downtrodden_ can be, it is almost always a riveting, and ultimately liberating one. And that, as my colleague Pedro would say, is mark of a great Doom record.